Afraid of the Dark
by Scribe of Turesa
Summary: Sometimes we can't imagine the worst. Halloween Special
1. Chapter 1:Flicker

**Disclaimer: ****I don't own the TMNT **

**Chapter 1: Flicker**

_Flicker- to shine with an unsteady or intermittent light: a candle flickers. To move quickly to and fro; quiver, flutter, or vibrate, to cause to flicker. An unsteady or brief light or flame. A swift quivering or fluttering movement. _

The first time he noticed it was when we had just finished a kata, in the candle-lit dojo very early one morning. He chalked it up to being tired the first time. The second time he thought it was his imagination. But the third time he was sure he saw it and half thought it was Mike trying to scare him. Which was not likely to happen, he didn't scare easy. But the fourth time…the fourth time terrified him…

Leo stilled, mid-kata, as the temperature in the room drastically dropped. It was suddenly freezing, the air felt as if it had been dragged out of the room, the candles sputtered, gasped, and then went out abruptly.

"Mike…this isn't funny, what did you do? Don's going to kill you," Leo muttered softly as he turned around to find the matches beside the largest candle in the room. He whipped around after it felt like someone was breathing down his neck.

No one was there.

Leo frowned, before turning around and again trying to find the matches. His hand closed around the box and he carefully opened it, muttering as the box's drawer ended up being upside down and the matches clattered to the training matt covered floor. They seemed horribly loud. He stilled, heart racing, as he felt someone breathing on his neck again.

He whipped around again, this time lashing out, he hit nothing.

"Cut it out MIKE!" he ordered.

There was no response, not even a typical Michaelangelo chuckle.

Leo backed slowly into the table where the candle was, he fumbled with the match box, causing more matches to clatter to the ground. Leo managed to pull a match out and strike it , he turned and lit the candle, then looked up.

What he saw made him scream.

**A/N: Please review if you are interesting in seeing this continue…Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2:Murmur

**Disclaimer: ****I don't own the TMNT **

**Chapter 2: Murmur**

_Murmur- A low, continuous sound, as of a brook, the wind, or trees, or of low, indistinct voices; a mumbled or private expression of discontent._

Raph rolled over and stared up at his ceiling, he hadn't slept well over the past few nights. A constant buzzing of noise seemed to reside around him. But right now, it was eerily silent, so silent in fact that the scream that broke it nearly deafened him as well as almost caused him to go into cardiac arrest. It took a whole 30 seconds before he was able to respond to the cry. Then a thought hit him.

That didn't sound like Mike having a nightmare, it sounded like _Leo,_ a scared Leo.

He bolted out of bed and scrambled to Leo's room, he wasn't there. Raph paused, then spun on his heel and charged toward the Dojo, the sound of rushing feet behind him. As he burst into the room the buzzing started again, exploding in volume, causing him to groan and grip his head. He shook his head frantically, trying to clear it. When the buzzing decreased in volume he turned slowly, frantically looking around. He twisted around and groped blindly in the dark for the light switch.

As the light flicked on, the buzzing stopped.

"Leo?" Raph called, paling a little at the sight of the room's signs of struggle.

Broken candles lay scattered around the room, blood splatter stained the training mats, but what worried him the most was the sight of his elder brother's feet sticking out from under the toppled weight racks.

"Leo!" Raph gasped, scrambling forward and starting to drag the racks off of the eldest. He was dimly aware of Don telling Mike to get the first aid kit and Splinter helping him free Leo.

Don pushed them back after Leo was free and began to examine the limp figure on the floor. Leo moaned softly as Don gently examined his neck and carapace. A weak whimper sounded as Don touched Leo's right arm.

Don frowned as he looked back at Leo's neck and examined it again.

"Something's wrong with his neck, but it's not broken," Don muttered.

"Will he be ok?" Mike asked from the back of the group.

They all looked at him.

Don's frown seemed permanent.

"I think so Mike, but, what happened?" Don managed softly, slowly looking around, "looks like a fight of some sort."

Leo moaned, stirring slightly. Don's frown, deepened before he turned and grabbed the first aid kit from Mike and started sorting through it.

"Raph, after I put on this neck brace, help me roll him over. We need to find the bleeding," Don ordered.

Raph knelt and after Don finished gently rolled Leo over onto his carapace, supporting his brother's braced neck. Splinter knelt, carefully taking Leo's head and resting it on his knees before nodding for Raph to pull away.

Don grimaced at the ugly welt across Leo's chest. Don touched it lightly, trying to figure out what the damage was or at least how bad it was.

"Candle wax," Don sputtered, "this is from a candle! He was burned by a candle."

Splinter frowned.

Raph jumped to his feet as he heard something rustling in the shadows and paled as the buzzing increased in volume. But this time he could hear words, words from multiple voices.

_Good…good…deliciousss….crippled…crippled one…yesssssss…hunger…NEED TO FEED…_

Raph instantly felt sick as the short mantra continued.

"Please tell me you hear that?" Raph managed softly, it quite simply gave him the creeps.

"Hear what?" Mike asked, touching Raph's arm in worry.

"You don't hear it?" Raph sputtered.

Every eye turned to him in worry. Raph was trembling as his eyes searched the edges of the room.

"We need to leave Sensei," Raph mumbled, "we need to leave _now_."

"Raph, there's nothing making any noise but us," Don stated.

Raph looked at them.

"Trust me, we need to leave…._Now_," Raph ordered.

**A/N: I don't suggest reading this in the dark…or trying to sleep immediately after. Review Please!**


	3. Chapter 3:Acerbic

**Disclaimer: ****I don't own the TMNT **

**Chapter 3:Acerbic**

_Acerbic-sour or astringent in taste. Harsh or severe, as of temper or expression._

Mike watched Raph anxiously; he kept twitching, snapping around and staring at the shadows. He was convinced he was hearing something.

Mike handed him a cup of tea and then brought his own cup to his lips, took a sip and then spewed it out across the table, gagging and choking.

Raph looked at him, questioningly, before glancing at his own cup.

"Mike?" Raph asked.

"It tastes horrible," Mike managed.

"Mine tastes fine," Raph replied.

Mike shuddered before setting it down; he paused and then looked at the liquid.

"It's…blood," Mike stammered.

Raph froze and then shuddered, gagging slightly before looking at his own drink. He dropped it and then whipped around.

"Tell me _please_ that you heard that laughter?" Raph demanded after looking back towards Mike.

Mike shook his head.

"I didn't but I think I believe you now," he whispered.

"Why now?" Raph grumped.

"Maybe because my tea just turned to _blood_," Mike snapped.

Raph shivered before standing and squinting at the shadows near the infirmary where Don and Splinter where helping Leo; who had yet to wake.

"Mike, tell me you see that," Raph whispered.

Mike followed his gaze and froze.

"What…is that?" Mike gasped.

It seemed to move like a mist or smoke, twisting and curling on itself, as it did it seemed to disappear into the shadows and then reappear. But when Mike gasped his question it snapped around and charged straight for them.

Mike shrieked in terror at what he saw and Raph gave a terrified shout as the voices exploded in his mind and he saw the creature's face.

**A/N: sorry this took so long, been crazy busy. Please review!**


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